Loose-leaf binder.



J. L. MGMILLAN.

LoosE LEAF BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, 1910. 11,106,825 Patented Aug. 11,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. L. MOMILLAN.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER.

APPLIGATIQN FILED Nov. 9, 1910.

Patented. Aug. 11, 19M.

2 SHEETSAHEBT z.

iii

[NV NTO/a, W

At MM JOHN L. MCMILLAN, F SYBACUSE, NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.. Application led November 9,@l1910. Serial No. 591,442.

Loose-Laan Binnen.

Patented Aang. itil, 1914..

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN L. McMiLLAN,

' Va citizen of the United States, residing at ication.

durable binder than Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders, of which the followings a speci My present invention ertains to improvements in looseleaf bin ers, the same being an improvement upon the construction setforth and claimed in'Letters Patent granted to Sydney C. Nott, No. 816,7 3 4, dated April The-"main object of the present invention is to improve and, simplify' the construction set forth-in the patent Just mentioned and to produce astronger and somewhat more is described in the patent referred to.

A. further'objeet-o the invention is lto rovide means for'automatically locking the evers which work in conjunction w'ith'the binding .posts when said levers are de pressed, and the leaves of the book are placed under compression.

A still further object ofthe invention is to providemeans for reventing rotation of the binding posts anti) the reversely-hinged levers when the levers and binding posts are brought into alinement, with 'the view of unleaf binder, parts bein clamping the` leaves for the insertion or withdrawal thereof, thus preventing any.

swinging movement of the levers-upon their hinged connection with the blnding posts, which movement wouldresult in the presentation of projections-at the hinge joints v and the consequent danger of muti the leaves.

With these and other object-s in View, the invention will be set forth, reference being had to the annexed drawingsywherein:

Figure 1 is a' perspective view ofthe loosebroken away to more clearly illustrate the mvention; Flg. 2l is a longitudinal vertical sectional4 View," taken -through the midlength of thebinding,vv and clamping plates; Fig. 3 a top plan view of a portion of the clamping plate and the related parts; Fig. 4 a transverse rvertical sectional View taken on the line ifdef Fig/2;

A of'FigxQ; Fig. 6 a longitudinal sectional view, similar 'to Fig. 2, of'one end of. the

.the'outer or back edge o the plate 8. a ledge` or li lever being vshown as thrown up into alinetaken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 a

similar View taken on the'line 9-9 of Fig. 6,; Fig. lO a perspective View of one of the 'spring latches which coperate with the clamping lever; and Fig. 11 a fragmentary view of a portion of one form of leaf which may be used with t-he binder; Fig. 12 a side elevationrof a modified form of clamping lever; and Fig. 13 a plan view of a ortion of the clamping plate, showing the orm of opening which ooperates with said modified form of lever.

Referring to said drawings, l denotes the binding'plate, the main body of which is preferably formed of wood and has secured to itsnpper or inner face a metallic plate Q. Riveted tothe metallic plate 2 and lying between' said plate and the member 1 are two hingemembers 3 (see Fig. 5). Said hinge members' are adapted to coact with a metallic plate or bar 4 (see Figs. 4 and 9), the outer edge of which is secured to the hinge members 3 by a pintle or rod 5. The other.

edge of the plate is seated in the back or cover-board 6 of the book, which coverboard andplate will preferably be coveredl aterial, such as leather, buck- .bg 7, is formed of a piece of metal, preferation of 'a l y steel, the inner or effective clamping portion 8 of which' is of substantially the same width as the binding iplate 2,- and from said member 8 there extends upwardly a section or wall 9, and from this projects forward] and over l 10, t e member thus formed beingin e ecty a channel-bar having .one short side. Said bar forms a hbusing for, the locking or clamping levers andthesupports' for the combined hinge members and supports for the latches which coperate with the levers.

Secured tothe upper face ofthe member 8,' adjacent to each end thereof, is a cast block or member 11, the forward end of which `projects beyond the edge of the member 8 and is provided with an opening for the reception of'a` hinge rod orbar 12.- "Said Irod or'bar'passes through the barrel formed upton the metal plate 13, which plate is .secured in the inner edge offthe front coverboard.

The binding member has an 'opening formed therein adjacent to each end, the outei-portion of'each opening being larger than the inner portion, to receive the head 15 of the screw l16. Openings are likewise providedin the clamping member 8 4inline with the openings in the binding member, and binding-posts are ada ted to be passed through said openings.l ach post comprises a screw member 16, just referred to, and a series "ofthr'aded sections 17 (one or more), and likewise a section 18. As will be clearly seen upon reference to Figs. 2, 6 and 7, the screw or bolt-16 is adapted to be inserted in thel lower internally-threaded end of the section 17, while Ithe lupper reduced.

and threaded end of said section 17 is ada ted to' be secured inthe'lower internal' ythreaded end of the member 18. The sections 17 will n practice be madeofdifferen't lengths, as-will also .the screws, in order to produce posts adjustable as to length. Said posts ma also be varied in length by screwl,

greater' or ing a bo t'16 ina section 17 to a less extent. So, too, the post may e length- 'ned or shortened by varying'the amount of engagement between the threaded members uponthe section 17 and themember 18, or

between any of the sections, though 1 it .is

-member through which the post extends,

referable to have the sections screwed ightlytogether.. To enable 'one to readily screw the sections together tightly or to separate themlwhen occasion demands,`the sections are provided with holes or, openings there extends a tongue or member '19 formed 17, through which a tempered wire, may be inserted lto aiordproper purchase or lever-V age toenable one toscrew or unscrew the sections, a's'the case may be. l

The upper end of the member l18v is angled and bifurcated, and into the bifurcated end upon the lower end of the clamping member 20. Said clamping member or lever islikewise provided with angled faces complemental to the angled faces formed upon the upperend of the member 18, lso that when the parts are brought intol alinement they will be revented from being moved beyond that point. In other words, the connection is a lock hinge, which While permitting the parts to swing in one direction prevents them from passing beyond a certain point in another direction. Thetongue or member 19 is of a width less than the diameter of the section 18, and achannel or` groove 21 is formed in the side of the lever-20, extending longitudinallyl thereof and in line with the reduced side o'f the tongue 19. Astop 22 is provided at 'the outer end. of the groove or channel 21, the purpose of Which'will hereinafter appear. One face of the tongue 19,

groove 21, is rounded (see Fig. 2), while the opposite face is cut away to form a locking shoulder or projection 23. Said shoulder coacts, 'when the levers are in locking position, with a latch, which latch serves to hold the levers in their depressed position. There is la latch for each lever, and each latch may be -said to comprise an L-shaped plate 24, provided at its outer free end with a tongue or projection 25 adapted to coact with the or that` which lies in alinement with the oove 21 when the `lever is thrown upwardly into its vertical position the plate being secured to one en of a plunger 26, mounted and workin in a recess formed in the block or casting 11. The plunger is provided with a stem .27 about which is encircled a spring 28, said springl tending to force the plunger outwardly toward the locking post and consequently throw the latch into operative relation with the lever, whether it be in itsclamping position or thrown' into its upright position, as in Figs. Gand 8. l

In order to provide a fulcrum for the lever, a bearin plate 30 is secured upon the member 8, said plate extending .beneath the casting or block 11, and being 'secured in position by the same rivets as are employed to secure said block 11 in place. As will be seen upon reference to Figs. 2, .3, 6 and 8,'l

consequently, when the 'lever is thrown downwardly it will contact with said plate adjacent to the opening and the plate will form a fulcrum therefor, which enables one to exert considerable pressure upon the leaves, drawing the binding and clamping plates tightly together. While the employment of this late is preferred, as it enabler `one to readi y procure the necessary compression and aords a stronger structure, its

presence is not necessary. As before stated, when the lever has been forced downward to its full extend, the latch will automatically move outwardly and lock the same in its -adjusted position. It will beunderstood thatthe length of the post may be varied by adjustment of the parts, screwing them together or apart to a greater or less extent, or by the substitution of longer or shorter sections 17, or longer or shorter screws.

In the commercial form of the book, the various parts will be covered with leather or' the like, and such material is shown in section in several of the figures and is designated throughout by 29. In other words, those metallic parts which would come in contact with the desk when the book is being used, will be covered so as to'prevent inJury to the desk.

In use (assuming that a notched leaf as License shown in Fig. 11 is employed) the levers will be thrown into their upright or vertical position, as indicated in Fig 6, at which time the tongues or projections 25 upon the `latches extend into the grooves or channels 21, thus holding the levers and posts against rotation and consequent possible elongation or shortening by a screwin or u-nscrewing of thel parts. Furthermore, y reason of the fact that when properly positioned the levers swing toward each other, and the further fact that the hinge stop or lock joints then work. in opposition to each other, and that the levers are in eifeet connected by the clamping plate, when said'plate is elevated, there can be no swinging movement of the levers relatively to the posts. lConsequently the hinge lconnection between the' levers and the sections 18 of the osts will be smooth, there being no projections or protuberances 'which would catch the leaves and tear them.

As will likewise seen upon reference to Fig. 6, the stops 22 act to prevent the clamping plate from being moved oil of the levers 20, such stops coacting with the tongues 25 of leaves has been inserted, the clamping plate or member is moved downwardly and the levers swung over into the position shownin Fig. 2, the curved face of the tongue o'r projection '19 riding beneath the plate 24, or more specifically beneath the tongue 25, and forcing the latch rearwardly until the lever has been thrown downwardly to such anextent that the latch may be again moved forward and pass beneath the shoulder or reduced portion 23. Where the leaves have merely the perforations, without the slots or o nings extending from the edges to said per orations, then the clamping plate with the cover-board 14 will be removed and the leaves slipped over the then upright levers and the binding osts to which said levers are connected. uch leaves will be removed in a reverse manner. Reverting to the levers and the eoacting latches, or more specifically the tongues 25 of such latches, it

will be noted that when the levers are drawn.

' whole screwing on or oil of the screw or Figs. 12 and 13 show another form of lever- Vand clamping-plate. The lever 2()a is provided with a flat face 21l and a stop 22 at its upper end. A clamping-plate 7a 1s formed with openings, each having a straight face i", coacting with face 21@ and preventi rotation of ithe lever whenthe lever is e evated andthe plate raised. The

'upper' end of the post 18 is flattened as at it 1s necessary to form a notch 19b to permit A said linger to pass outwardly when the plate 7a is lowered and the lever 21a is swun downwardl into clamping position. Sai

notch is a so necessary when an opposite movement of the lever is eiected. The stop finger may also act with a latch, as in the construction above set forth. Stop 22aL pre.- vents the clamping plate from being drawn oli of the end of the lever when the parts occupy the position -shown in Fig. 6.

Having. thus described my 1nvention, what I v I claim is: of the latches.- lVhen' the necessary number 1. In a binder, a binding-post comprising onel or more sections adapted to be engaged with a binding plate and to extend through a clamping plate; a lever hinged to the upper end of the post; and an automatic lock to engage the lever when it is forced into its clamping position.- j

2. In a binder', th'e combination of a bindsov ing plate; a clamping late; posts connecti ed to the binding p ate and extending through the clamping plate; a lever connected to the uy per endI of each post, said lever forming, w en extended, a continuation of its post; and an automatic retaining device for engaging each lever when the lever is thrown down into clamping position.

3. In abinder, the combination of. a binding plate or member; a plurality of posts 'extending upwardly therefrom; a metallic clamping plate, said plate having in crosssection the form of a channel bar with one short side, the inner or long side thereof being provided with openings through which the posts may pass; and a clamping lever pivotally connected to the upper Vend of each post, said levers, when thrown down into clamping position, being housed by the clamping plate. i

Lt. In a binder, the combination .of a binding plate or member; a plurality of posts adjustable as to .length extending upwardly therefrom; a metallic clamping plate, said plate having in cross-section the form of achannel-bar with one short side, the inner or long side thereof being provided with openings through which the posts may pass; and a clamping lever pivotally connected to the upper end of each post, said levers, when thrown down into clamping position,-being housed by the clamping plate.

being provided' with openings Ithrough which the posts may pass; a clamping lever pivotally connected to the upper end of each post, said levers, when thrown down into clamping position, being housed by the clamping plate; and means carried by the clamping plate for retaining the leversl in their depressed position.

6. In a binder, the combination of a binding member; a plurality of extensible posts extending upwardly therefrom; a. clamping member provided with openings through which the posts may extend; a lever pivoted to the upper end of each post; and means carried by the clamping member for holding the levers in their depressed clamping position and for preventing axial movement of said levers when raised into alinement with the posts.

7. In a binder, the combination of a binding member; a plurality oflongitudinallyadjustable posts extending upwardly therefrom; a clamping member provided with openings through -which the posts may exing-plate; a clamping-plate; an extensiblev tend; a lever pivoted to the upper end of each post; and means carried by the clamping member. for holding the levers in their depressed clamping position 'and for preventing rotation of said levers when raised into alinement with the posts.

8. In a binder, the combination of a binding member; a plurality of posts adjustable as to length extending upwardly therefrom; a clamping member provided with'a series of openings through which the posts may pass; a clamping lever pivoted in the upper end of each post, each lever having a groove extending lengthwise thereof inits face; and a member adapted to enter said. groove when the lever is thrown into its'upright position and to thereby prevent rotation of the lever about its axis.

9. In a binder, the combination cfa-binding member; a seriesofposts adjustable as to length extending upwardly .therefrom; a clamping member provided witha series of openings through which theposts may pass; a clamping lever mounted upon the upper end of each post; and means for hlding the. levers against axial vrotation when the same are thrown upwardly into aline-v ment with the posts. v l

10. In a loose-leaf binder, the :combination of a binder member; a clamplng member- ,binder member through the clamping a plurality of posts extending f'from' a tongue of a width less than the` width ofv the slot in said bifurcated member and extending intothe same, said lever having also a groove extending lengthwise thereof in line with the tongue; a hinge-pin connecting the tongue and bifurcated member; and a latch having a tongue adapted to cooperate with the groove to hold the post and lever against rotation.V

12. In a binder, the combination of a binding-plate; a clamping-plate; an extensible binding-post comprising one -or more sections extending from the binding-plate and through the clamping-plate; a lever hinged to the upper end of the-post; and an automatic lock carried byv` the clampingplate and engaging the lever when it is 1n its upright position in line with the post to hold the same against rotation.

13. In abinder, the combination of a bindbinding-post comprising one or more sections projecting from the binding-plate and extending through the clamping-plate; a-

lever hinged to the upper end of the post;

ing-plate to engage the lever, said lock holding the lever, when it is turned down into its clamping position,y and normally maintaining it in such position, and likewise en Y and an automatic lockcarried by the clampgaging the lever when it is turned upwardly into alinement with the post to hold said lever and post against rotation.

14. In a binder, the combination of `a binding-plate; a clamping-plate; an adjustable binding-post comprising' one or more sections engaging the binding-plate and-extending through the clamping-plate; a lever hinged to the upper end of the post, said lever being provided with a groove extend- 4ing longitudinally of the face thereofgand a latch carried by the clamping-plate adapted to engage one end of the lever y'whenfit is thrown\downwardly into f-clamping-position, and to enter the groove when 15. In a binder, the combination of la: bindi ing-plate; a clamping-plate; an adjustable" binding-post comprising one or more sections engaging the binding-plate and extending through the clamping-plate, the 'up- `p er end of the post being bifurcated; tt'lever-` '.pivoted 120" the lever is thrown into its upright positio Y in axial alinement with the post.V l

' Licenses inthe top of the post, said lever 'being like v wise provided with a'groov'e extending lon gitudinallyof the outer face thereof in line with the tongue.; and a latch' mounted upon the clamping-plate, adapted to engage lthe vtongue on the end 'of the lever vwhen the lever is .thrown downwardly into its clampmg position'and to enter the groove when the lever is thrown upwardly into axial alinement with the post. i

16. In a binder, the combination of a binding plate; a clamping plate; a. pair of posts extending'from ,the binding plate up through openings formed in thee-clamping.'

plate; a lever hinged to the upper end of Veach post, the hinges being of such construcalinement withi the posts, and preventing the same from rotating.

17. In a binder, the combination of a binding plate; a plurality' of posts extending upwardly therefrom; a clamping plate provided with openings through which said posts may extend; a lever pivotally connected to the upper end of each post; and means carried bythe clamping plate and engaging the levers, when the are thrown out of their clamping' position mto alinement with the posts, l for preventing the clamping plate from being withdrawn over and off of the ends of the levers.

18. In a binder, the combination of a binding plate; a plurality of posts extending upwardly therefrom; a clamping plate provided with openings through which said posts may extend; a lever pivotally connected to the upper end of 'each post; springpressed latches engaging said levers, when they are thrown out of their clamping position into alinement with the posts,I for preventing the clamping plate from being withdrawn over and off of the ends of the levers.

19. In a binder, the combination of a binding plate; a plurality of posts extending up wardly therefrom; a clamping plate having openings formed'therein through which said posts may extend; a lever hinged to the upper end of each post, thehinge connection being such that as the levers are brought into axial alinement with the posts they are arrested against further movement, each lever having a groove or. channel extending loiritudinally thereof; a shouldered projection ormed upon the lower end of each lever ad- 'i jacent to the hinge connection; a stop pro- 60 vided at the outer end of the oove in each lever; and a sprin -pressed'lafch for each lever carried by t ev clamping plate, said latch bein provided with atongue adapted to enter t e groove in the adjacent'lever when said lever is throwngupwardly, the

latch, when the lever is thrown downwardly. into clamping position, engaging theshouldered projection.

20. In a binder, the combination of a binding plate; a plurality of posts extending upwardly therefrom; a clamping platehaving a seriesof openings-formed therein through which 'said posts may pass; a clamping lever hinged to the upper end of each post; said lever being provided with' a groove or channel extending longitudinally' thereof, in its outer face;a shouldered projection formed upon. the end of the lever adjacent to the :hinge connection; a-bleclt forecasting secured tothe clamping plate adjacent to each of the openings formed therein; a spring-pressed latch mounted in Said casting, said latch being provided with a tongue adapted to extend into the groove aforesaid when the leverv is thrown upwardly into aline-ment with the post; and a stop carried by each of the levers at the outerend of the groove or channel, adapted to coact with said tongue to prevent complete separation of the clamping plate from the lever except when said latch is manually retracted.

21. In a binder, the combination of a binding plate; a clamping plate; a plurality of posts extending from the binding plate through openings formed in the clamping plate, said -posts being adjustable as .to length; a lever for each post; a stop hinge connection between the upper end of each post and its lever, each lever being likewise provided with a groove or channel extendv ing vlengthwise thereof in its outer face; and

a spring latch carried by the clamping plate adjacent to each of the posts, said latch being provided with a tongue adapted to enter the groove in-.the adjacent lever when said lever is thrown upwardly, preventing rotation thereof, and to engage the inner or lower end of the lever A when the lever is thrown downwardly into clamping position.

22. In a binder, the combination of a binding member; a series of extensibly adjustable posts extending upwardly therefrom; a clam ing member provided with-a series of openings through which the posts may pass; a clamping lever mounted ,upon the upper end of each post; means carried bythe levers; and means carried by the clamping member, said means coacting with each other to prevent axial rotation of the levers when the same are thrown upwardly into alinement with the posts. v l

23. In a binder, the combination of a binding-plate; a clamping-plate; an extensible binding-post.l comprising one or more sections, extendingfrom the binding-plate and through the clampin -plate; a lever hinged tothe upper end of t e post; and a lock carried by the clamping-platel and engaging the lever when it is in its upright position in line with the post to hold the same against rota- 'iat tion and likewise to engage said lever to plate engaging said levers when they are hold it in its depressed or clamping osition. thrown upwardly into axial alinement with 24. In a binder, the combinatlon o a bind- 'the posts for preventing rotation of said le- 15 ing plate; a clamping plate; a air of posts vers and consequent displacement of the 5 extending from the binding p ate through parts. openings formed in the clamping plate; a In testimony whereof, I have signed my lever hinged to the outer end of each post, naine to this specification in the presence of said levers normally swinging toward each two subscribing witnesses.

other and the hinges being so formed as to JOHN L. MCMILLAN. le prevent the levers :trom being thrown beyond Witnesses:

the vertical when the levers are swung up- 4 E. MORAN,

wardly; and means carried by the clamping H. L. BABCOCK. 

